Jennifer Grant's When Did Everybody Else Get So Old Indignities, Compromises, and the Unexpected Grace of Midlife is one of those memoirs dipped in grace and reflects on the joy and sorrow that can accompany this liminal space between being young and being old.Reading Grant's story is a spiritual practice for me -- as I begin on the downhill slide to my 50s. She writes with humor and insight about the struggles that come from raising teenage children, dealing with the grief of fractured or lost relationships and facing the seemingly inexplicable challenges that accompany a body at the precipice of decline. She affirms that life itself is a gift, and every day we continue to live is a reflection of this largesse we've been offered.
Still, growing older comes with its own struggles. And she is clear about those, too. She wonders about her vocation and whether she is doing what she's been called to do. She worries that her own creative efforts pale in comparison to a friend's and that she hasn't yet made an appropriate mark on the world. And more concerns: How do we deal with an accumulation of disappointments, both personal and professional? How do we navigate the aging and death of those we love? How do we contend with our bodies, which sag, wrinkle and creak? How do we deal with the rapid passing of time, marked clearly by children who transition from diapers to college in a matter of seconds?
When did we get so old, just like everybody else?
This is an honest spiritual memoir that should be read and circulated often -- usually as a birthday gift.
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I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review here.